Melbourne City Council to review Australia Day celebrations
Daniel Andrews says he hopes Melbourne’s traditional Australia Day parade can return next year but would not reveal details about what events may be staged.
Victoria
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Daniel Andrews says it is “certainly” his hope that Melbourne will host its traditional Australia Day parade and fireworks ceremony in 2023 after a two-year hiatus.
It comes amid confusion around the fate of Melbourne’s annual January 26 celebrations, including whether the traditional parade and fireworks would go ahead in 2023.
Despite the City of Melbourne’s upcoming review into the way it observes January 26, the Premier said more details about the program would be unveiled closer to the date.
The Andrews government on Wednesday confirmed planning for next year’s Australia Day program was under way – but refused to confirm what events would be staged.
But Mr Andrews said he wasn’t actively involved in plans for the event’s return.
“No, I’m not,” he said.
“I’m actively working towards getting us through a very difficult winter in our health system.
“Be very clear — I’m spending more time right now talking to you about this than I have previously.
“It’s an important matter but it’s not top of my list.”
Asked if it was his hope that the Australia Day parade and fireworks display would be held next year, Mr Andrews said: “Certainly, yes”.
The Australia Day parade was cancelled in 2021.
The event didn’t go ahead this year either, however that wasn’t due to the pandemic.
“Issues and details (for next year) will be confirmed in the usual way, and that’s usually closer to that date,” he said.
“It’s obviously some months off but, yeah, it’s my hope that things that couldn’t happen because of Covid, can happen now.”
A Herald Sun poll of almost 2800 people – across social media and digital platforms – has found 92 per cent want to keep Australia Day the way it is.
It comes as Melbourne City Council moves one step closer to ditching Australia Day, with councillors deciding to review how January 26 should be celebrated in future.
It’s not yet known what impact that will have on the city’s annual Australia Day parade and fireworks display, which are run by the state government but supported by the council. But the Herald Sun understands the council would not demand the government stage such events in another municipality.
Lord Mayor Sally Capp led the call for change at a meeting on Tuesday night, saying the day had become “divisive” and “public sentiment is changing”.
“We are very conscious of changing sentiment of the debate that’s been evolving and maturing,” she told 3AW on Wednesday.
“We want to be proactive in this important debate.”
Ms Capp said the day was “hurtful” to many people.
“I love celebrating what it means to be Australian … as many do, it’s a time to really reflect on what we are grateful for, what we are proud of as Australians,” she said.
“But I’m also very conscious that this day is hurtful to many people, it does create division on the day.
“I think what we are doing is looking for a day when all Australians can celebrate what it means to be Australian, we are looking for ways to unify people in that celebration.”
A Department of Premier and Cabinet spokesman refused to confirm whether the parade and fireworks display were locked in to proceed.
The City of Melbourne review of their Australia Day events is a matter for City of Melbourne,” he said.
“Planning for the Australia Day 2023 program is in progress and details of events will be released closer to the date.”
Opposition Leader Matthew Guy has called on local councils to “stay in their lane” and ditch debates about Australia Day.
Guy said he didn’t support changing the date and said all levels of government shouldn’t be undermining national institutions.
“I’m a supporter of national institutions, I’m a supporter of the flag, I’m a supporter of Australia, I think we should keep the date,” he said.
“Until there’s any changes in any of those, we should celebrate with gusto all of those national institutions and we shouldn’t be afraid to do it.
“We should be looking to the future as Australians, as a wonderful multicultural nation, as a nation with the oldest and richest Indigenous culture in the world. We should be so proud of that.
“We should be proud of what we’ve achieved as a modern multicultural democratic nation.
“We don’t need governments of any level to undermine our national institutions, I would not.”
Mr Guy said it was unhelpful for local councils to be spending time debating the contentious issue.
“I think (if) the City of Melbourne (is) starting to question our institutions, well, frankly, I question them,” he added.
“Councils entering these kinds of debates, I think they should stay in their lane and frankly work out how to unite us, not divide us.”
Australian Greens leader Adam Bandt has backed Sally Capp’s controversial move to review January 26 celebrations saying it is a “sensible approach”.
The member for Melbourne would not weigh in on whether the state government’s Australia Day parade should go ahead next year.
But he said a discussion was needed about how “we can all mark” the day.
“I think the Lord Mayor and the council are going about this in a thoughtful way, recognising that for many people in this country, it’s a day of mourning, and it means different things for different people,” Mr Bandt said.
“We need to promote days that will bring us all together and I think the Lord Mayor’s approach of leading the discussion about that is a good one.”
Meanwhile, Senior Andrews government Minister Danny Pearson says he doesn’t know if the state government will host its traditional Australia Day parade next year.
The Andrews government caused outrage in January when it cancelled the Melbourne-based Australia Day parade for a second year in a row.
Mr Pearson said he wasn’t aware of the government’s plans, when asked if the 2023 event was in danger of being sidelined for a third year off the back of the City of Melbourne’s decision to review its approach to observing Australia Day.
“To be honest, I can’t give you a straight answer because I just don’t know,” he said on Wednesday.
“I’m not sure what the plan is in relation to that.”
Asked if the state government had a responsibility to uphold the event’s future until a national consensus towards Australia Day had been agreed on, Mr Pearson said: “I genuinely don’t know because the focus has been on Treaty and truth telling.”
“That’s been the thing that we’ve been really focused on,” he said, adding that he had no plans to personally attend future parades.
“I’m not sure if I’ve ever gone to the parade. For me, Australia Day is about spending time with my wife and kids. That’s how I choose to celebrate the day,” he said.
“If you’re asking me ‘the parade is in January next year, would I take my wife and kids there?’ Probably not, I think I’ll probably have either things to do.”
Mr Pearson said the City of Melbourne’s decision to review their approach is “a matter for them”.
“How they choose to celebrate or not celebrate, or recognise or not recognise, January 26 is ultimately a matter for them,” he said.
“We’re a really rich and diverse community. The City of Melbourne may choose to go that path, other local governments might choose to follow or not follow.
“From our perspective, we are absolutely focused on Treaty and truth telling. That’s the thing that is really going to change things. We are leading the nation.”
Lord Mayor defends making call on Australia Day
Lord Mayor Sally Capp said she was “absolutely” elected to make decisions on Australia Day.
“It’s about what local constituents want and it’s about fulfilling what is a core goal and strategy of Melbourne in our council plan,” she said.
But Indigenous and business leaders called it tokenism and outside council’s remit.
Ms Capp’s motion for change was passed by a majority vote.
It sought to consult the community on how to commemorate Australia Day in way that was more “unified” and more respectful to First Nations people.
“There is growing national sentiment that Australia’s national day be changed to a date that can unify all Australians for celebration about what it means to be Australian,” she said.
All but one of the councillors present for the meeting voted in favour of the motion.
Council officers will now identify “alternative options for council consideration”.
A discussion paper will be drawn up by September 6.
Other events which would be affected would include the Spirit Festival and the Dawn Ceremony, traditionally held on January 26.
Indigenous elder Ian Hunter of the Wurundjeri community said the Australia Day debate wouldn’t result in meaningful action for remote communities.
He said it wasn’t up to local municipalities to determine whether the day was changed.
“They’re stepping out of line,” he said.
“It’s not going to change anything. There’s just a few condescending people who want to make themselves look good to a minority.
“People in remote communities will still have the same dramas. It’s not going to alter the outcomes of the health and the other things that go on.
“It’s only an urban thing. They (councillors) just want to put their name up in lights. It’s not going to alter anything at all.”
Northern Territory senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price said Australia Day should be left as is.
“There are a list of days and weeks a year where Indigenous Australians are recognised in so many ways including sorry days and apology days,” she said.
“We participate in countless acknowledgments and welcome to country on a weekly if not daily basis.
“Australia Day is for all Australians and should be left as such. How much more recognition and guilt politics must we as a nation be subjected to?”
But First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria co-chair Marcus Stewart, a Nira illim bulluk man of the Taungurung nation, welcomed the move and said all councils and governments should follow suit.
Ratepayers Victoria president Dean Hurlston said the review highlighted “just more evidence of the politicisation of local councils”.
“This is a national discussion that the federal parliament needs to deal with. This divisive and controversial issue does not belong in local council chambers,” he said.
Small Business Australia chief executive Bill Lang blasted the council’s proposal, stating it should focus on advocating the “key priorities” of local residents and traders.
“This is another example of professional politicians pursuing personal agendas that they have not disclosed prior to them seeking the votes of ratepayers and citizens,” he said.
“They’re meant to be representing the priority issues for the majority of people, not getting themselves elected and then pursuing other issues.”
The Andrews government caused outrage earlier this year when it cancelled the Melbourne-based Australia Day parade for a second year in a row.
It is not yet clear what impact Tuesday night’s vote will have on the event for 2023, given it is located within the City of Melbourne.
The Andrews government refused to be drawn on whether the move set a precedent for Victoria to take further action.
“This is a matter for City of Melbourne,” a spokeswoman for the Premier said.
The move would not affect Australia Day celebrations on a national level, as that was a matter for the federal government, Ms Capp said.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said earlier this year that it was a time to “celebrate what a great nation Australia is” but also to consider “how we can be even better in the future”.
“We need to recognise that our history goes back at least 60,000 years, which is why one of my priorities will be to recognise First Nations people in Australia’s Constitution with a constitutionally recognised Voice to parliament,” he said prior to the election.
“That is a very important reform to reconcile Australia, for all of our history, we need to consider the good and the bad.”
He had previously proposed holding the constitutional recognition referendum on Australia Day, but that is now unlikely.
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Originally published as Melbourne City Council to review Australia Day celebrations
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